More ranting, but less political

We all know that I'm not always the world's most diplomatic person. My filter has improved greatly over the years, but I am still prone to blurting without thinking, expressing my opinions without much in the way of warmth or compassion, and telling people things about themselves that they haven't asked to hear.

That said, I think I've come a long way. I don't always have the energy to keep the filter fully functional when I'm on my off time (that's why it's called "off"), but in a professional capacity, I've more or less learned to mediate my tendency to spout off. I've learned that verbally plowing people down isn't generally the best way to go about forming good relationships, or even getting people to do what you want.

So, this is my question. Is it too much to expect that other people whose jobs involve dealing with the public, in this case denominational staff, would show signs of similar learning?

And yes, I have my hackles up right now, but I do not appreciate heavy-handed edicts coming down from on high. Staff are not bishops. We don't have bishops, and if we did, that wouldn't be them. I do not appreciate indirect communication that travels through multiple people instead of coming straight to me (and I would be engaging in direct communication myself instead of blogging about it, except that I can't seem to get a response either by phone or email). I do not appreciate being told what to do by someone who has made no effort to grasp the realities of the situation. And even though my filter has improved, if you're trying to get me to become as stubborn and abrasive as I can possibly be, all these tactics are a good way to go about it.

I try hard to believe our staff are doing their best to do what's best for the denomination. I really do. But I hear them complain and wonder about the distrust and dislike people have toward them, and then I think that maybe that situation would improve if some of them stopped talking to the rest of us like we are their minions.